On Saturday evening (January 16th 2010), around 9:30pm on Paseo Delicias in Rancho Santa Fe, CA a silver 2008 Porsche Carrera belonging to Robert Stonebreaker, a San Diego Veterinarian, was discovered. It was crashed, next to the road down a 15-foot embankment. Evidence at the scene suggested that the vehicle had been involved in a single car crash. As such, this case was initially investigated as a traffic collision by the California Highway Patrol (CHP). Officials with the CHP said that when they arrived, the driver was missing and that there was no blood apparent at the scene.

Robert was found dead the following morning in the driveway of a home about 2,000 feet away. A significant amount of blood was on the driveway. He would have had to jump a fence (or have been let in by the owners) to end up there. The home where he was found (6792 Paseo Delicias Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067) was/is owned by T. Michael Reed, retired personal injury lawyer/consumer attorney. He told officers that he recognized Robert Stonebreaker because he had used his veterinary services in the past and had also kept a newspaper article about him.

The medical examiner reported that his injuries were not consistent with those of a car accident, or from falling afterward. San Diego County Sheriff's Lt. Dennis Brugos said Stonebreaker was likely killed at the scene where his body was found and that he died of blunt force trauma.

Robert Stonebreaker was the owner and Veterinarian of the Animal and Bird Hospital in Del Mar, CA. He also owned and operated Free Flight, an exotic bird sanctuary, mostly for birds who were no longer wanted by their owners. He also volunteered for Project Wildlife. He was a humorous, compassionate man with three young children. His family is still left wondering what happened, and who would have wanted him dead.

momtective

10-13-2010, 05:03 PM

I'm wondering why this attorney would have saved a newspaper article about a man that just happened to wind up dead in his driveway. :waitasec:

lafeeverte

10-13-2010, 07:10 PM

True, but also why would he tell police that? Plus he is an attorney with many years of experience, so Im guessing he knows what to say to police. Robert has no known connection with this man (other than possibly helping his animals) so why would he want him dead?

SunnieRN

10-18-2010, 02:23 PM

I wonder how old this attorney is? Does he have a daughter who may have dated the vet prior to his marriage? It says he has three young children, was he married prior to this marriage, possibly to someone who knows or is related to the lawyer? Very strange circumstances for sure!

nervous_nellie

10-18-2010, 02:43 PM

could he have startled someone when he was trying to get help and they hit him with something thinking that he was a burglar or something? very sad, i hope they figure out what happened...

lafeeverte

10-19-2010, 05:12 PM

Nellie, That is a possibility, and one theory of his relatives, that he startled the attorney. But if the attorney recognized his face from getting treatment from Dr. Stonebreaker, and he kept a newspaper article with a photo of him, it seems implausible (to me) that he was so startled he killed him. If someone I didn't know was in my driveway, and I was startled, I wouldn't go about killing them first thing! I would at least say "who are you?" "why are you on my property?" etc. And his car was found at around 9:30 at night, so it's not like it was in the middle of the night. Also, if the attorney was startled, and accidentally hit him too hard, why not call 911 or try to get him some help?

lafeeverte

10-19-2010, 05:16 PM

Sunnie, Dr. Stonebreaker did have a previous marriage, but his ex-wife has no relation to the attorney.

JulieR

10-19-2010, 10:31 PM

Very strange case.
I wonder if any doors were open on the car when the police found it, if so how many one or two?
Did the car have air bags and did they go off? Did Robert normally wear a set belt?
Was Robert due home at the time the car was found? Was he missing for any period of time?
Did he have a cell phone on him when he was found? Money?
Was the car checked for prints other than Roberts?
Robert could have had some injuries in the car accident and whoever was with him finished him off in the driveway....as Robert was trying to get help?
I would be asking for another ME to look at Roberts body just to be sure there was no mistakes.

JulieR

10-19-2010, 10:36 PM

It would be nice to know the area of the driveway he was found in.....closest to the road, closer to the house or in the middle? If Robert was moved blood would show that, I hope the police checked the black top carefully.

JulieR

10-19-2010, 10:47 PM

The paper said Robert was found at 7:50 AM wonder how long the ME said he was dead? That would help narrow down the time of death.

lafeeverte

10-19-2010, 11:35 PM

The police said he was murdered where he was found, there was a large pool of blood around his head, so they say he was not moved. They say "driveway" and if you look on google maps you can see the driveway. There is a wall/fence that he was said to have jumped to have ended up where he was, so he was found on the inside of the fence on the driveway.

JulieR

10-20-2010, 10:39 PM

Well by the looks of the fence it is more like a short stone wall, pretty easy to get over and the drive way is more like a road. I think he was going there for help, I don't think anyone in the house was involved. By the looks of the marks left on the road is looks like he took a sharp turn to head off the road. It would be nice if the police and ME would release more information. I would really be asking for another ME to look at the autopsy reports. I wonder how hard they looked for blood on the street it would be hard to see on black top. JMO but he didn't walk out of that car with no injuries it's crazy to think he did. Wonder who called in the accident.

lafeeverte

10-21-2010, 02:29 AM

the short stone wall leads up the road to two driveways. one driveway has no fence around it, the driveway where he was found was in the gated driveway of 6792. If he walked up that street to the two driveways, wouldn't he have chosen the one without the gate? Unless he was being chased and was trying to get away... which is another theory.

There is a video on this page you have to click on the picture of Robert with the maroon scrubs and white cockatoo. The road they are taping off (where the fire truck is driving up) leads up to the two driveways. When you see where he crashed from a bird's eye view, it seems like he went through the vegetation to get to the driveway.

Skully

10-21-2010, 11:52 AM

If I were going to guess what happened; I would say, someone ran him off the road then kept going and turned around to make sure he was dead. They may have seen him jump the wall and went in to kill him because the car accident didn't do the job. So why do people want his innocent man dead? Maybe road rage, but that seems so over the top, but if it was a gang member doing an initiation killing, drug induced angry person, something like that, it can happen. You just make the wrong person mad and they go off. I can't think of another reason.

rosario

10-21-2010, 12:09 PM

very unusual, what are the cops saying, where is the investigation going?

lafeeverte

10-21-2010, 01:36 PM

The police haven't really released any new information since January, when it happened. Still, no one knows where he was headed that night, if anyone was with him, etc. If the police do have any new information, they aren't releasing it.

shefner

10-21-2010, 03:59 PM

I would be curious to see his cell phone usage. When was his last phone call made? Who was he calling or who was calling him?
Also, did he have any work associates, business partners, or other entanglements? How was his marriage...any separations, financial troubles, insurance changes/policies?
Have his computers been checked for any information?
What were his hobbies?

There is a video on this page you have to click on the picture of Robert with the maroon scrubs and white cockatoo. The road they are taping off (where the fire truck is driving up) leads up to the two driveways. When you see where he crashed from a bird's eye view, it seems like he went through the vegetation to get to the driveway.

It really makes me wonder since the accident happened at night 9:30 if the police really looked around for Robert in the dark. After Robert was found I wonder if anyone went back and looked around that vegetation for clues on how he got there. Is this a heavily traveled road, it seems like it isn't? Seems to me police aren't doing a bang up job looking for someone.

JulieR

10-21-2010, 04:14 PM

The police haven't really released any new information since January, when it happened. Still, no one knows where he was headed that night, if anyone was with him, etc. If the police do have any new information, they aren't releasing it.

Well I sure wish they would release more information......it would make our job a lot easier....lol just kidding.

lafeeverte

10-21-2010, 04:53 PM

Computers and phone records have been checked, but information hasn't been released since. It obviously hasn't led to an arrest, but I don't know if there was any useful information. Every detail of his life has been analyzed, speculated and discussed, but new information/leads haven't been released. Someone has to know something, and it is up to them to speak up.

Robert and his wife had three children. Sheriff's Lt. Dennis Brugos asks that anyone with information call his office at (858) 974-2321

JulieR

10-21-2010, 10:26 PM

Just wondering how old are his kids?

shefner

10-21-2010, 11:25 PM

Computers and phone records have been checked, but information hasn't been released since. It obviously hasn't led to an arrest, but I don't know if there was any useful information. Every detail of his life has been analyzed, speculated and discussed, but new information/leads haven't been released. Someone has to know something, and it is up to them to speak up.

Robert and his wife had three children. Sheriff's Lt. Dennis Brugos asks that anyone with information call his office at (858) 974-2321

So sad for his family. Thanks for keeping us updated about this case, lafeeverte....I'm curious to see if any new leads develop.

:+:MrTT:+:

10-23-2010, 11:43 AM

Did he still have his wallet with him?
And car keys? In his possession?
Was the vehicle a convertible or hardtop?

No sign of theft?
It would help if they would release the photos of the car taken after CSI arrived on the scene. No way of knowing if he was wearing a seat-belt or not, since he left the vehicle.

It looks like he made a hard left from the right lane as seen from the skid marks.
I am assuming he slammed on the brakes during the hard turn to the left to avoid hitting someone or something thing that was in the road, but just speculating.

If he was hit from behind, there would be damage to the rear end.
That is why i want to see the photos of the actual crash scene.

I don't see where releasing those photos would be a problem.

I am doubting the road rage theory.
If it was, and they wanted him dead, they could have stopped, and attacked him again while he was still inside or near the vehicle.

lafeeverte

10-23-2010, 04:48 PM

Yes, but it could also make sense that he was being followed, was driving fast and made a hard, fast turn but missed the road (there are no street lights) while trying to lose whoever was following him. The follower would have then had to turn around and see Robert was still alive. Robert could have then seen the follower and took off running. He could have been being chased, which would make sense why he chose to jump a gate instead of going to the property next door that was not gated. I don't think road rage would have had someone turn around, go down an embankment, chase someone almost a half mile, and jump a fence, then kill him. Supposedly, there was no rear crash, but the bumper and license plate were left at the scene when the cops towed his car away the night before he was found.

:+:MrTT:+:

10-24-2010, 01:22 AM

...
Until any links are provided that will lead to any official LE documents on this case all we can do is speculate and make assumptions on what may have occurred.

And until those documents are released it is my theory based on speculation from what i have seen and read, that this was nothing more then a horrible accident.
Something appeared to him in his lane, and he made that hard left turn to avoid hitting it. Upon impact which was hard and brutal, and traveling around 40 or 50 miles a hour, he blacked out upon impact and was ejected from the vehicle like a limp rag doll. After awhile, he regained consciousness and went to seek help for himself, and got as far as he did and died where he was found.

The comment by LE that the injuries he received were inconsistent with an automobile accident such as his, which had them speculate that he may have been murdered, could be explained by him being ejected from the vehicle. If he had remained in the vehicle, then his injuries would have been more consistent with his/this type of accident.

From the first post.
The medical examiner reported that his injuries were not consistent with those of a car accident, or from falling afterward. San Diego County Sheriff's Lt. Dennis Brugos said Stonebreaker was likely killed at the scene where his body was found and that he died of blunt force trauma.
If he was ejected on impact, that would explain why his injuries were not consistent with those of a car accident, and also why no blood or little there of, was found inside the vehicle.

I also speculate that when they did find the car, the drivers door was closed, and the keys were still in the ignition.
If his wallet was not found on him, or in the vehicle another search of the area may enable one to find it including his cell phone.

THE ABOVE ALL MOO AND SPECULATION ON MY PART.
NOTHING POSTED AS FACT UNLESS OTHERWISE KNOWN TO BE.

bessie

10-24-2010, 02:39 PM

Two thousand feet seems an awfully long distance to run after being ejected from a car with a bleeding head injury, but I'm sure it's possible. Head injuries tend to bleed profusely, so I'd think there would have been a trail of blood leading up to the driveway. I'm assuming there was none which lead LE to believe he was murdered where his body lay.

I'm unclear about where his car was found in relation to the location of his body. Was the car west or east of the body? If west, it looks like there are other houses even closer to the road where he could have sought help. Why did he run so far?

Besides the possibility of an extreme road rage incident, I'm wondering if somewhere along his drive he witnessed a crime. Sure is an interesting case. Wish we had more details.

bessie

10-24-2010, 02:55 PM

On Saturday evening (January 16th 2010), around 9:30pm on Paseo Delicias in Rancho Santa Fe, CA a silver 2008 Porsche Carrera belonging to Robert Stonebreaker, a San Diego Veterinarian, was discovered. It was crashed, next to the road down a 15-foot embankment. Evidence at the scene suggested that the vehicle had been involved in a single car crash. As such, this case was initially investigated as a traffic collision by the California Highway Patrol (CHP). Officials with the CHP said that when they arrived, the driver was missing and that there was no blood apparent at the scene.

Robert was found dead the following morning in the driveway of a home about 2,000 feet away. A significant amount of blood was on the driveway. He would have had to jump a fence (or have been let in by the owners) to end up there. The home where he was found (6792 Paseo Delicias Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067) was/is owned by T. Michael Reed, retired personal injury lawyer/consumer attorney. He told officers that he recognized Robert Stonebreaker because he had used his veterinary services in the past and had also kept a newspaper article about him.

The medical examiner reported that his injuries were not consistent with those of a car accident, or from falling afterward. San Diego County Sheriff's Lt. Dennis Brugos said Stonebreaker was likely killed at the scene where his body was found and that he died of blunt force trauma.

respectfully snipped

Is the "fence" the low brick wall near the road at the end of the driveway? I'm assuming then that there is a gate that crosses it. Don't see that in photos, though.

lafeeverte

10-24-2010, 04:51 PM

Bessie is right, the injury he had would have left a blood trail, and if he had sustained it at the time of the accident, he would not have been able to travel almost a half mile and jump a fence losing that much blood. He would have been dead much closer to the car. His car fell down an embankment, that was the impact so he could not have been flung from the car and ended up far from it, he would have been in the embankment regardless. His car was to the west of the house. There is also a non-gated house right next door. The house he was found at has a fence around it (not the short cement wall leading up the driveway to the two houses). If you enter the address in Google maps you will see the green arrow points to a long driveway that leads up to two different houses. The house he was found at is on the left (West). His car plunged into the embankment where the main road and Caminto de Conejos meet. I speculate that instead of climbing back up the 15 foot embankment, he was chased through the vegetation to the North which is where the 6792 house is. It is also interesting that no one knew where he was going. Other than residences, there is a plant nursery and golf club (he was not known to have attended) that he could have been heading to. If I was going to pick up plants, I would not take my Porsche, but it is possible since he created habitats for birds and other animals. If he was going to someone's house, surely they would have spoken up after his murder and said he was on his way to their house. That is, unless they had something to do with it.

bessie

10-24-2010, 05:43 PM

Thanks, Lafeeverte. After my last post, I found an article that said the accident occurred near Camenito de Canejos, and I googled over the area. The access road to the house seems to be about 800 ft. long. From the entrance to the road and Camenito de Canejos is about 150 ft. So now I'm wondering why it was reported that he traveled 2000 ft from his car. :waitasec:

Authorities believe Stonebreaker had been traveling north Saturday about 9:30 p.m. on Paseo Delicias near Caminito de Canejos in a silver 2008 Porsche Carrera when he lost control on a curve, over-corrected twice and then veered off the road. The car reportedly ran over a wooden marker on the side of the road and plunged into a gully filled with vegetation about 10 to 15 feet deep.http://www.examiner.com/news-in-san-diego/is-local-veterinarian-s-death-more-than-just-a-traffic-accident

I've read quite a few articles and the comments following them. (Not much else to do on a lazy Sunday afternoon when the Saints are playing a miserable game. :crazy:) Most of the commenters are incredulous, can't believe it could be anything but an accident. One did mention a lawsuit Dr. Stonebreaker filed against a large corporation in 2004. So now that has me curious. It's the last comment following this article:

My initial gut feeling is that he wasn't chased all the way up that driveway and then hit on the head after he crossed the fence. If a dead body is found on private property behind a closed gate, and LE thinks it was foul play, well, you have to at least consider that the owner of the house or a resident is involved. I'd like to know who lives at the house besides the lawyer. Any live in housekeepers or caretakers? And what was the subject of the news article the lawyer kept? I'm not pointing fingers. Just asking logical questions.

lafeeverte

10-24-2010, 07:19 PM

"Investigators said Stonebreaker crashed his car down an embankment Saturday night, then made his way to a home about 2,000 feet away." (http://www.cbs8.com/Global/story.asp?S=11837520)

"Officers initially believed Stonebreaker got out of the car after the solo wreck and made his way up a long driveway about 2,000 feet to the home,"
(http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/jan/19/veterinarians-death-ruled-suspicious/)

"Officers believe Stonebreaker got out of the car and made his way up a long driveway about 2,000 feet to the home"
(http://injury.thegomezfirm.com/blog/category/recent-news/page/25/)

Whenever it is quoting officers, it says 2,000 feet, although when I look on google maps it looks more like 800. Either way, it was too far to have had that head injury from the accident and not have a blood trail or not have bled out by the time he got to where he was. The medical examiner said the injury was "of a traumatic nature".

The lawsuit against Banfield for the unreadable microchips was filed in 2004, it is definitely another aspect to consider. It still doesn't answer where he was going that night, after rethinking my last post and other theories, he could not have been going to the nursery at 9:30pm. And I just looked on their website, and they are only open until 4:30pm. I truly believe he was going to a residence.

bessie

10-24-2010, 07:28 PM

Freeflight, the bird sanctuary was granted non profit status in January. This article appeared in the DelMar Times just a couple of days before Stonebreaker's death. Apparently, the sanctuary had become a financial burden on the hospital, thus the move to go non profit. Doesn't seem irregular, but the timing's interesting. I wonder if this is the article the homeowner referenced.

"Free Flight has sort of become a wayward sanctuary for birds, and it was all supported by the pet hospital," said Stonebreaker, 53, who earned his doctor of veterinary medicine from UC Davis. "And that's been a big problem, doing this for quite a number of years. Now, with the way the economy is, it's really taken a toll on me.

"We just receive our nonprofit status, and that was quite an accomplishment," Stonebreaker said, referring to the sanctuary. "Nonprofit status is allowing the board to take over (the sanctuary) and make decisions rather than me. Hopefully it will be self-sustaining and the vet hospital won't have to be paying all the salaries and overhead that goes along with that.

"It is on the property, and we're hoping that once it can fly," Stonebreaker said, with no pun intended, "then they'll in turn be able to pay back some (of the money) and pay rent to the hospital."

Reporters can get things so bassackwards sometimes. It's quite possible the homeowner mentioned that he recognized Stonebreaker because had used his services, and just three days prior had seen his photo in the newspaper which hadn't been discarded yet. That could've easily been twisted into the report that the lawyer retained a news article about the vet.

I still find it strange that he was inside that gate. Don't those gates usually have intercom systems to alert the owner someone is trying to get in? If Stonebreaker needed assistance, wouldn't he have hit the buzzer? Unless someone was so hot on his heels that he didn't have time.

lafeeverte

10-24-2010, 08:04 PM

That was my initial belief, that the attorney was referring to the Free Flight article. It was actually a great success to go non profit.

It looks to me that the gate had a buzzer/ intercom. The theory that he spooked the attorney doesn't make sense with this in mind. He would have had to jump the fence if he didn't ring the buzzer, and why would he do that if there was another house right next to it without a gate. It makes more sense that he was being chased and jumped the fence to try to get away.

bessie

10-24-2010, 08:49 PM

The two house are nestled far back from Paseo Delicias on that road, and the road curves at about the halfway point. Until he reached the curve, I doubt he could have seen the houses. There is another house to the right much closer to the highway. The back of it faces the small road past a grove of small trees. It would've been immediately visible, and from what I can tell, there is no fence, or just a small fence, blocking the property from the road. In his shoes, I would've approached that house. It would've been the first one visible and is fairly accessible.

lafeeverte

10-24-2010, 09:21 PM

I guess it also depends on which route he chose to go through the vegetation, but I think this observation is consistent with him being chased.

bessie

10-24-2010, 09:27 PM

By the way, Lafeeverte, welcome to Websleuths, and thanks for bringing this very interesting case to our attention.

I take it you're a local (the mention of the nurseries). Are you aware of any other possible angles that haven't been mentioned which we should consider? Also, do you know when he was said to have been last seen?

I did read a comment that said he was known to NOT carry his cell phone with him. If true, that would explain why he was walked away from the car rather than place a call for help.

lafeeverte

10-24-2010, 09:28 PM

I think the most important question is

Who was he going to see that night?

He had to have been going to a residence, maybe he met up with someone, they decided to go back to this other person's house and he was set up, ran off the road and killed.. but what is the motive? It wasn't robbery.

lafeeverte

10-24-2010, 09:38 PM

Thank you for the welcome, and thank you for your input. I think he was last seen that mid-afternoon. He was known not to have his cell on him, but even if he did have it, it could have been jolted in the wreck and he may not have been able to access it. Also reception is spotty in the area.
Every aspect of his personal life has been analyzed, but other than the possibilities we have been discussing, everything else has been rumors or grasping at straws. My gut tells me someone in that neighborhood knows what happened.

bessie

10-24-2010, 09:42 PM

Let's say he was at someone's house. Why wasn't he killed there? Why the chase?

Or, something bad went down at the house, so he jumped in the car to get away, maybe call LE. The person chased him down and killed him so he couldn't talk, like I mentioned in my first post.

I'd love to know the motive, but other than the Banfield suit, I haven't come up with anything. Nothing from LE, and nothing in the comments that I've seen yet. I'm not done looking, though. :)

Thanks for sharing the video, Lefeeverte. Seeing his wife, his precious little son, and the beautiful haven they built for those gorgeous birds, it becomes easy to understand why people have only kind words for him, and why it's difficult to believe that he could have been involved in anything untoward that would have caused his death.

I scoured the web last night reading articles about Dr. Stonebreaker. Normally, when a mysterious death makes the news you find at least a few comments hinting at scandal. I found none, though it was obvious on one site that comments had been deleted.

:+:MrTT:+:

10-27-2010, 05:17 PM

If you want to speculate on a murder and a motive for it.

You can speculate it was a car-jacking as another theory based upon speculation and assumptions.
If he was carjacked, and the car-jacker wanted him to drive back to his house perhaps to rob the house also, besides stealing the car.
With his family there, he decided to deliberately crash the vehicle, and afterward made a run for it, and was caught by the car-jacker and beaten to death.

Or perhaps, the car jacker wanna him to park in a isolated place/spot with the intention of killing him, so he crash the car and made an attempt to escape but was caught and murdered.

If it was, then they should have dusted the dashboard for prints, in case the carjacker put there hands on the dash to brace themselves during the crash, and left there prints or any other Forensic evidence.
But perhaps they did just that, and this speculative theory was discounted early on.

We could use a family member here, to help tell us things that only they would know, as far as the investigation, and where it stands to this day.

Its been more then 9 months since this event occurred.
Its hard to tell what the mind set is now of the investigators as far as what they think might have happened.

Until any release of any official LE documents, including the autopsy report i wont speculate anymore tell we know things for sure, as fact.

As an afterthought.
After seeing the video with the family, I am hoping this is determined to be an accident.
I rather have a Love one killed in an accident, then to wonder if some lowlife individual murdered them, and wonder everyday if they will be caught.

THE ABOVE ALL MOO AND SPECULATION ON MY PART
NOTHING POSTED AS FACT UNLESS OTHERWISE KNOWN TO BE

lafeeverte

10-28-2010, 06:56 PM

That is a good theory that he was being car jacked, although he was driving in the direction away from his home in Encinitas. He was found with jewelry on, and his wallet with him so we know he wasn't robbed. The area he was found in is filled with million dollar homes.

bessie

10-31-2010, 10:34 AM

I have to agree that for now, a random road rage or carjacking incident is the most likely scenario. LE say Stonebreaker overcompensated for the curve twice. In doing so, it's very possible that he got in the way of an oncoming car. One comment I read last week was written by a local resident who inadvertently cut off a driver one day not far from where Stonebreaker was found. He said the other driver terrorized him and his family for quite a distance, riding his bumper and such, until they arrived at their destination. The other driver followed them, stopped, and told the first man that he was lucky he (other driver) was letting him live. If that's true, it's not hard to believe something similar happened to the vet. He just happened to meet up with an angry fool carrying a blunt instrument in his car.

I still have so many questions, though. Like, when and where was he last seen, and by whom? Where was he supposed to be or thought to have been at the time of the accident? Where was he headed, if not home? Was he actually in the car when it crashed, or was it staged to look like road rage? Were skid marks found along the road before the location where his car went off the road indicating the chase started prior to that point?

Lafeeverte, please continue to post any new developments from your local news. I'll be on the lookout for them, too.

Curious Me

11-02-2011, 03:39 AM

Thinking about Dr. Stonebreaker. He was a wonderful bird vet and a nice man. The investigation into his death has taken a long time.

LE did not contact the wife to tell her about Dr. Stonebreaker's car wreck, and that he was missing until the next day when he was found dead.

IMO, $3 million in life insurance is not that much when you consider his practice would've brought money in for years to come. His wife was every bit a part of building that business and their Free Flight Bird Sanctuary. I don't see enough motive or any evidence. What else does LE have?

The insurance companies are waiting for LE to clear up their suspicions. There seems to be no evidence or connection to point to his wife having anything to do with her husband's death. LE keeps saying they need to talk to the wife while this case is over a year and a half old. Insurance companies holding off on paying while LE seems to be clueless.

September 27, 2011 from CBS with video
http://www.cbs8.com/story/15554543/wife-accused-of-murder-after-life-insurance-surfaces?clienttype=printable

From what I've read of Dr. Stonebreaker, he was a very good person. Anyone who makes it his life's work to treat and care for animals to the extent that he did with exotic birds is all right by me. I was so frustrated last year when I tried to research this case and came up with so little information. It's a relief to hear that something has stirred it up again.

The affidavit filed in the suit against the insurance company states that the insurance company's decision to withhold payment based on her status as a person of interest, but they've offered no other evidence. So either they didn't perform an investigation of their own, or they did and it turned up clean. I wonder why she can't be ruled out. I'll be interested in hearing more as the case proceeds in federal court.

kathyn2

05-22-2012, 11:38 AM

There is supposed to be something about this case on the kfmb news tonite at 11 (may 22, 2012). Last I read the wife Pam was under suspicion and the insurance company will not release any funds. Dr. Stonebreaker was my vet and a very good one too and a very helpful one. He really went out of his way to help animals. He was going to come out to my house 45 min away from his home to look at a sick parrot of mine on a Sunday when no one else would bother. Not every vet can take care of a sick parrot. I really feel bad that the police have not been able to find his murderer. I believe he was being chased down that dark winding road and thats probably why he crashed in the first place. Then probably chased on foot to the final resting place. Very sad. I pray the wife had nothing to do with it but for some reason LE suspects her. Someone could have been paid to do this.

bessie

01-21-2013, 11:35 PM

As of May 22, 2012, this case remained unsolved. Pam Stonebreaker, the wife, was still a POI. The homicide investigator made it clear, however, that she was one of several.

"To the extent that any of my prior emails or other communications stated that Pam was ‘the number one suspect', ‘the only suspect' or words to that effect, that was not correct. Mrs. Stonebreaker has been and is only one among many persons of interest who has not been ruled out as a potential suspect in the death of Dr. Stonebreaker."
http://kfmb.images.worldnow.com/images/18599068_BG1.jpg
Dr. Robert Stonebreaker, 53

Also chasing someone down, and breaking their head open sounds ...kind of personal ? Not like a hired killer,who would more likely have shot RS ?

PS is a POI ; was this about the insurance $$$ ? Or did RS have a GF ?

JMO

kau

01-26-2013, 01:29 AM

Wonder where RS was going/coming from that night ?

Also chasing someone down, and breaking their head open sounds ...kind of personal ? Not like a hired killer,who would more likely have shot RS ?

PS is a POI ; was this about the insurance $$$ ? Or did RS have a GF ?

JMO

It is thought that he was being pursued,and that he climbed over a small retaining wall to get to that driveway...he supposedly climbed up the ravine,through the vegetation...

I think LE knows a whole lot about both of these cases...couple of things, RS died by blunt force trauma to his head...it does not really fit with a hired killer at all, MOO Sounds like it is more personal. MOO Also, RS's wife did not call LE when her husband was not home the next morning ?

Yes, and ran up the road to the driveway to get away. He was heavy set so apparently was caught up to and was murdered. He lay in the driveway while his wife went to her kids game even though her husband never came home the night before, she called the neighbors..yet not LE. She points the fingers elsewhere yet is not talking to the detectives. I don't think he had a GF. Hmmm. Her father is being protrayed in the upcoming movie "50-1" about the racehorse 'mine that bird' Leanard Blach is part owner of the horse. RS wife, PS the POI, is also being protrayed in the movie.
As for insurance money...she called insurance company the next day, if not the same day.:what:

SpicySun

02-13-2013, 03:45 AM

I'm new to the forum, so sorry if this has been asked...

I noticed (on maps) what appears to be a horse facility on the road next to the one where he was found. Actually, it looks as if it shares a common fence or border with the home where he was killed. If the location I'm getting on my search is correct. Could he have been there? Considering the in-laws link to racing, it seems like an idea that needs to be looked at closer. Could he have been lured there?

neverletgo

02-13-2013, 01:37 PM

Welcome to Websleuths, SpicySun!

:wagon:

Thanks for your post on Robert's thread. :)

:gthanks:

Curious Me

07-21-2013, 04:35 AM

I still wonder what happened to Dr. Stonebreaker. Couldn't find any recent news, but I'm posting old articles in his memory. Wonder if the investigation will conclude with some logical answers.

2010 "Is local veterinarian's death more than just a traffic accident?"
http://www.examiner.com/article/is-local-veterinarian-s-death-more-than-just-a-traffic-accident

I got so excited when I saw a post here. I thought there might be an update. Yeah, this case really lingers with me. It's been three-and-a-half years now, and still nothing. I wonder if his widow was ever cleared, or if there are any new poi's.

buffetoflies

07-26-2013, 11:54 AM

Dang, Rancho Santa Fe is a very affluent area. Going to read up on this one.

kau

07-27-2013, 03:14 AM

https://ecf.casd.uscourts.gov/doc1/03718038294

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that Plaintiff Pamela Stonebreaker and Defendant The
Guardian Life Insurance Company of America have settled. Plaintiff anticipates signing
settlement documents, including a joint dismissal of the entire case with prejudice in the
very near future.
DATED: July 24, 2013 MCKENNA LONG & ALDRIDGE LLP
By: s/ Nathan S. Arrington
Nathan S. Arrington
Attorneys for Plaintiff Pamela Stonebreaker

She got her 3 million after insurance interplead the money, sold the porsche, sold the vet practice, leased the building, and wanted more money:liar: for 'bad faith' and apparently settled.
Still not talking to the detectives since three weeks after the murder which might mean she is still not cleared:twocents:
Not sure what it's going to take to solve this. Reward money? Ya probably lured there, saw what was coming and ran, a big guy and didn't run fast enough? This case haunts me,:banghead: too, lingering? or are the detectives waiting for a solid case? Curious indeed.